Where Windows 10 Stores Administrator Information

Your administrator username is stored in Windows 10's user account settings, and you can find it without needing the password. The username appears in Settings, Control Panel, and the sign-in screen. Windows 10 does not store passwords in a place you can retrieve — if you have forgotten the password itself, you will need to reset it rather than find it.

The reason is security. Windows stores passwords in an encrypted form that even the system cannot read back. This protects you if someone gains access to your computer files. You can change your administrator password, but you cannot view a password that is already set.

Key Takeaways

  • Your administrator username appears in Settings under Accounts, and you can view it without knowing the password.
  • Windows 10 does not store passwords in a readable form, so you cannot retrieve a forgotten password — you must reset it instead.
  • If you are locked out of the administrator account, you can reset the password from the sign-in screen using a password hint or recovery email.
  • A second administrator account on the same computer can reset the password of another administrator account.

Finding Your Administrator Username in Settings

Open Settings by pressing the Windows key and typing "settings", then press Enter. Click Accounts in the left sidebar. Your username appears at the top of the window under "Your info". This is the name you use to sign in to Windows.

If you see "Administrator" as the account type below your username, this is an administrator account. If it says "Standard user", this account does not have administrator permissions, and you will need to find a different account or create one.

You can also see all user accounts on the computer by clicking Other people in the Accounts window. This shows every account, including administrator accounts you may have forgotten about.

Viewing Administrator Accounts in Control Panel

Open Control Panel by pressing the Windows key, typing "control panel", and pressing Enter. Click User Accounts, then click User Accounts

Administrator accounts are marked with a shield icon next to the account type. Standard user accounts do not have this icon. If you have multiple administrator accounts, each one will show here with its username visible.

Resetting an Administrator Password You Have Forgotten

If you know the username but have forgotten the password, you have several options. At the sign-in screen, click I forgot my password below the password field. Windows will ask you to answer a security question you set up when you created the account, or it will send a reset link to the email address associated with the account.

If you set up a password hint when you created the account, click the username and wait a few seconds — the hint will appear below the password field. The hint is not the password itself, but it may help you remember it.

If you do not remember the security questions and do not have access to the recovery email, you will need to use another administrator account on the same computer to reset the password. Log in with the other administrator account, open Settings, go to Accounts, click Other people, select the account you need to reset, and click Reset password.

Using Another Administrator Account to Reset a Password

If you have a second administrator account on the computer, you can use it to reset the password of the first account without knowing the current password. Sign in with the second administrator account. Open Settings, click Accounts, then click Other people.

Find the administrator account whose password you need to reset and click it. Click Reset password. You will be asked to create a new password. Enter a new password twice to confirm it, then click Next. The password is now changed, and you can sign in with the new password.

Finding the Built-In Administrator Account

Windows 10 includes a hidden built-in administrator account that is disabled by default. This account is separate from your regular administrator account. You can enable it if you need it, but Microsoft does not recommend using it for daily work because it has no restrictions on what it can do.

To enable the built-in administrator account, right-click the Start menu and click Windows Terminal (Admin) or Command Prompt (Admin). Type this command and press Enter: net user administrator /active:yes. The built-in administrator account will now appear on the sign-in screen with the username "Administrator".

To disable it again, use the same method and type: net user administrator /active:no. The built-in account will disappear from the sign-in screen.

What to Do If You Cannot Sign In to Any Account

If you are locked out of all administrator accounts and have no recovery email set up, you will need to reset Windows 10 or use a password reset disk if you created one before losing access. You can reset Windows 10 from the sign-in screen by clicking Reset this PC, but this will erase all files on the computer.

If you created a password reset disk on a USB drive before you lost access, insert it into the computer at the sign-in screen. Click Reset password, and Windows will walk you through creating a new password using the disk.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I see what my administrator password is?

No. Windows stores passwords in encrypted form and does not display them anywhere, even to the administrator. If you have forgotten your password, you must reset it using a security question, recovery email, or another administrator account.

What if I have only one administrator account and I forgot the password?

Use the password reset option at the sign-in screen. Click I forgot my password and answer your security question or use your recovery email. If you set neither of these up, you will need to reset Windows 10, which erases all files.

Is the built-in Administrator account different from my regular administrator account?

Yes. The built-in Administrator is a separate account that Windows creates automatically and hides by default. Your regular administrator account is the one you created when you set up Windows. You can have both active at the same time, but Microsoft recommends using your regular account for daily work.

Can a standard user account reset an administrator password?

No. Only another administrator account can reset an administrator password. A standard user account does not have permission to change other accounts' passwords.

Where do I find my username if I cannot remember it?

Your username appears on the sign-in screen. It also appears in Settings under Accounts > Your info, and in Control Panel under User Accounts. If you are already signed in, you can see it in the Start menu by clicking your profile picture in the top right corner.